Memorandum 32
Submission from Michael Dickson CBE
This is an interesting nut to crack because
everyone agrees that engineering is a core wealth creator for
societies but the Government, even post Lord Sainsbury, is still
reluctant to invest sufficient resources (persons, facilities
and finances) to train and create the next generation of engineers.
So the Parliamentary Inquiry is not before time, in fact well
overdue.
I have checked back through some of my notes
taken during attending The Institution of Structural Engineers
Task Group on Education and the following points spring to mind
as a result:
1. All actions to promote engineering need
to be coordinated through the RAE (with STEM) so that the ETB
is energised to promote the value of engineering and the use of
professional knowledge to create wealth and solve society's challenges.
2. One of the problems is that engineering
is perceived to be a poorly paid profession (although probably
not true in reality) so that the CBI needs to undertake on behalf
of Government a survey and publish the salary scales of professional
engineers (both those still in professional engineering and those
who, through their engineering training, lead industrial, academic,
research or government organisations). This study needs a comparative
approach to other walks of life (teachers, doctors, SME business
persons).
3. There is little hope of engineering flourishing
in the UK without good (well paid) inspirational teaching of design,
maths and sciences at secondary school. So Government Policies
etc need to:
(i) Support Engineering Institutions in
providing resources for Teachers so as they can better understand
the challenges of engineering and the career opportunities that
would be given to pupils in their care
(ii) Support Institutions by insisting that
young engineers in training for Chartership, Incorporated status
or Technician grade should relate to their local schools as part
of their CPD needs
(iii) Recognise that engineering is part
of the creative industries so that DEFS should promote policies
more closely linked to Engineering Challenge through encouraging
A level students to undertake CDT courses at secondary schools
(Arkwright and Smallpeice initiatives).
4. The ETB under guidance from the RAE/G15
to provide resource to underpin positive illustrated articles
for the national and local press on engineering successes (How
did they do that?) and to cover awards for Engineers (particularly
young individuals) and Engineering Projects which are photogenic,
innovative and creative.
5. Government fiscal policies need to be
organised so as to encourage industry to provide more bursaries
to attend (hard) engineering courses at universities, further
educational colleges and technical colleges. Engineering courses
are not cheap so that with the advent of tuition fees this is
necessary to counter the disincentive to students of incurring
large educational loans at the start of their careers.
6. Government to organise better links through
the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and with BERR to Accredited
Colleges of Engineering in other English speaking parts of the
world (India, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Hong Kong etc) and to fund
bursaries for post graduate studies in the UK with the opportunity
of encouraging immigration of suitably qualified engineers into
the UK.
- Above all our younger members tell us that
high on their priorities is the need for representation of Engineering
needs in Local Government, Parliament and the Second Chamber through
increased number of appointments of politically skilled but knowledgeable
professional engineers. After all, biology, chemistry and engineering
underpin the performance of all parts of the natural built and
industrial environment which creates our wealth and quality of
life.
March 2008
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